WILLIAM Knight is preparing Illustrious Blue for what will be his third Dubai campaign – but his first at Meydan.

The Dubai International Racing Carnival will be staged for the first time at the Meydan complex, which is sure to be a magnificent setting for top-class racing.

Illustrious Blue, now seven, has enjoyed a good degree of success in Dubai before, winning his first ever race there in 2007 and returning the following year to finish second in a valuable rated handicap.

This time around, the snow is not making the build-up to his campaign easy but Illustrious Blue is in good fettle and – granted some respite in the bad weather – should head to the desert ready for action next month.

His trainer reported: “Illustrious Blue is enjoying a somewhat novel preparation for the Dubai International Racing Carnival – he is cantering each day in the snow!

“Hopefully, the cold snap will relent soon and we’ll get him on the proper gallops here.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to get him fit and ready to ship on February 6 ahead of his first intended run in a mile and a half handicap on February 11.”